


call no man happy until he is dead

by athousandwinds



Category: Cain Saga and Godchild
Genre: M/M, Yuletide 2007
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-21
Updated: 2011-01-21
Packaged: 2017-10-14 22:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/154353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athousandwinds/pseuds/athousandwinds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At this moment, Cain is happy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	call no man happy until he is dead

**Author's Note:**

  * For [water_bby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/water_bby/gifts).



Cain's whole life is a horror story, every kind. The creeping fear of something that should be long gone haunting you; the revulsion against the unclean thing. The third type is the fear of madness, which is perhaps the only one that isn't a problem for Cain.

It's silly, after all, to be frightened of the inevitable.

Cain begins to laugh one day as he sits in front of the mirror in his dressing room. Riff, who is running a comb through his hair, stops in bewilderment.

"Master Cain?"

Cain leans back against him. It ruffles his hair up in the back, but he doesn't mind and he doesn't think Riff does, either. Riff puts the comb down on the table and his hands go to Cain's shoulders. It's to comfort him. Anyone else would be trying to restrain him.

There is something very freeing about Riff. His desire to protect Cain has nothing to do with a cage; his love is not the smothering possessiveness that sometimes still makes Merryweather jerk out of Cain's arms. His job is to facilitate, Cain supposes, but everyone else tries to hold him back. Why shouldn't Riff?

He doesn't say he loves Riff. One never knows who might be listening. But he does reach up and trail his fingers over Riff's cheek, does trace the curve of Riff's mouth with the tip of his thumb.

The thing about horror stories - the penny dreadfuls, that is, not the classics - is that the beautiful heroine usually gets out alive. Cain is a poisonous beauty, but still what Oscar calls a "looker", so the story might yet work in his favour. It might be worth the shame of being a penny dreadful to have Riff and Merryweather - and Oscar could come, too, if Cain learns the patience Riff always tries to teach him.

"I was just thinking," Cain says, smiling. "I don't think I'm going to go mad, after all."

Riff dips his head and Cain catches the tiniest grin on his face before Riff's mask reasserts itself. "I'm pleased to hear that, sir."

"I know." Cain sits up and nods at him to start combing again. "I'll be happy if it kills my enemies."

I'll be happy if I die now, he thinks as the quick, rhythmic motions of Riff's hands begin. Now.


End file.
